Mmmkay I'm pissed

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I need to really stop taking these Women and Gender courses they're driving me insane. ok... too many thoughts at once. I feel like the more I learn about the oppression of women on a universal scale, the more sadistic and sinister the world appears to me. uuuuugh list of thoughts go:* Infanticide of female children in India??* Chicanas were sterilized and used as guinea pigs for contraceptives???* Romani women were raped and forced to have pregnancies??* The kidnap of young girls at the age of 13 to be forced into prostitution??? in friggin America?? what the hell??* Poor women were denied sanitized abortions?? * Vietnamese women were sterilized during pelvic examinations WITHOUT KNOWING???* Eugenics was performed on women of color in AMERICA to "control population" because we're breeding to friggin much and "outing" the white race?????* Women in Sambia were beaten and abused for not performing felattio???* Female genital mutilation in the Horn of Africa??I'm just.. I don't know... what?? Why?? How? UGH! Other than the usual equal rights ordeal the only intense form of women oppression I ever knew about was the type my family suffered from in Cuba when the Cubanas would be beaten with bats and rods on their stomachs to kill the baby if they were impregnated by a Hatian. My tia told me this when she showed me the gruesome scars on her body she received when trying to protect her son (my cousin) who was the son of my tio who is a Hatian. And that in itself was a overwhelming too much to grasp.I just... I feel like I'm learning too much at once and it's clearly not good things. And the worst part is that many of these incidents are fairly recent. Not a century ago but like... the 50s.. when my mother was born. In the past century they said more black women suffered rape from relatives, white men, and black men than white women could ever imagine. Women in America and First World countries fight for reproductive rights in forms of abortion while women of color in Third World countries fight for human rights just for the sake of surviving. It's like.. you hear the term "women oppression" and it's like oh yea I know about that ehh equality yadayada ya. But it's so much bigger than that. So much more than we realize. So many dark secrets that people are too scared to bring to light. So many women and young girls suffering and fighting for their survival but are unheard and invisible to the world because they are deemed "inferior" in relation to the rest of human societies. And another thing! What the hell is up with people and genocide???? what gives people the friggin right to deem themselves so much more damn important than another group of people just because of the color the skin that they would perform EUGENICS?? STERILIZATION!!! FRIGGIN STERILIZATION!! SERIOUSLY?? I mean really?? Did this crap really happen??? Are people so friggin sick and twisted so try to wipe out an ENTIRE RACE? Like.. what the hell is wrong with this world????????????ugh!!! I'm sorry... rant over. I feel like crying. I feel so useless. I feel so spoiled and ungrateful for having the freedoms and privileges that I do. I feel... pathetic for complaining about prejudice I experience on a daily basis when there girls my exact age fighting for their survival, against sexual exploitation, for human rights every day. I'm just.. I can't even. I need bed. (A little girl doesn't have the privilege of the bed let alone sleep!!!)

Hi Abi, I very much appreciate how you feel. I find some of the realities of human evil very hard indeed to bear.

Some of these things may be urban myths or rare exceptions, such as kidnapping of young girls in the West for prostitution. There are others I think are very doubtful - I don't know how a woman could be sterilised in an ordinary pelvic examination, for example.

But there are all too many things that are real - horrible genital mutilation still occurs, and it's clear there is a lot of infanticide of female children going on in China.

I would suggest, though, that when we see the horrors of evil, it's important to balance it by also considering how much good there is in the world. It seems to me that overall there is more good than evil, even though the evil is often more evident.

I didn't want to believe it but I researched it which was a big mistake because I stumbled upon LIMITLESS video and textual interviews of women that had been sucked into prostitution at a young age. There was one women who said she moved to the US at the age of 9 from Puerto Rico and her family was immediately plunged into poverty, and with the abuse she received from her father and trying to help her mother who had cancer she found herself in prostitution at the age of 14. It was a longer story than that but yea... I cried my heart out.I know there's alot of good in the world. But I don't wanna be another one of those airheaded bimbos singing happy tune thinking everything in the world is ok. I want to DO something about it. I hate the feeling of knowing that people are going through what they are and nobody like NOBODY is helping them. It's so depressing

I would like to point out that what you described, is a girls choice to get into that, and let themselves be sucked into it, by a "charming man".But I do agree with you, even on Law and Order (I'm kind of a junkie, ) SVU, seeing stuff like that, even made up, is horrific, and then there's the fact that it happens...

Actually many girls were not sucked into that but were rather kidnapped.Just like the children in Indonesia after the tsunami and couldn't find their parents were told there parents were "found" only to be kidnapped and sold into the sex trade.Many of these young girls who are kidnapped after school and you hear about them being snatched up by some guy in a black minivan or whatever end up in prostitution for a good majority of their lives. You should read some of the interviews of these ex-prostitutes who barely escaped with their lives.

I think the best thing to remember is that these things happened a long time ago (50 years is a long time to me). They probably dont happen anymore. Those things are disgusting and unfortunate but you have to realize thats a completely different part of the world and where we live.. things are VERY different. How would you feel if your parents told you that you had to marry .. Stan (yes I made that up..) because THEY thought he was the proper husband for you.. but you hated him. Things like that are still going on in the world. We are lucky that we live in North America. If my parents chose my husband I would tell them to have a nice life and leave. Were lucky because we get to make our own decisions. Somethings in the world we cant change but we can only learn from.

There are many, many stories throughout history of man's inhumanity to man. A question one might ask ones self is why would somebody choose to focus only on atrocities against women? What might be the goal of such a course?

Yes, ignorance truly is bliss. In ignorance all the answers are simple and the questions don't matter.

wow you must be one of the ignorant men my professor and readings were talking about who is completely unaware of male dominance and oppression of women on a wide-scale.they do, in fact, exist. male privilege is invisible to the male eye. just like white privilege and heterosexual privilege is blind to the white and heterosexual eye. ... class in motion.

Originally Posted By: JapanFan14wow you must be one of the ignorant men my professor and readings were talking about who is completely unaware of male dominance and oppression of women on a wide-scale.they do, in fact, exist. male privilege is invisible to the male eye. just like white privilege and heterosexual privilege is blind to the white and heterosexual eye. ... class in motion. Again, why would this be taught? For what purpose? Why would the professor maneuver you against a man, any man, who asks a very simple and valid question? Would it be the same if a woman asked that question? Why not? It's easy to understand why math and english skills are taught, but what purpose in life can teaching this serve? Can you at least answer that question?The answer is clear...made so by the way you responded to my simple question. You, my dear, are being brainwashed...and you defend those who are doing it to you. So much for liberal "open-mindedness". Congratulations, and welcome to college...where we are no longer taught how to think, but rather what to think.

Is there no purpose in life in teaching the existence of injustice?

Originally Posted By: IneligibleIs there no purpose in life in teaching the existence of injustice? Would you mind? I'm interested in what she thinks...I already know what you've been taught to think.

This is the answer I pretty much expected. See, my original intent upon entering college was to learn about International and Global studies, politics, and business so I can dominate the world. lol jk but after visiting the Academic fair the first week of orientation I was immediately attracted to something that I felt was relative to me.Asking why it's important to study Women and Gender Studies is like asking why it's important to study African American, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American studies. As an Afro-Latina, I am not taught MY history. I'm not taught about the successes and oppresses of my people. Rather, I'm taught YOUR history and expected to accept as my own like my people were just enslaved and shipped over a banana boat. I mean sure thanks for Hispanic Heritage month and Black History month but it doesn't cut it.I understand that my racial identity in this country and in this world instigates how I am perceived and treated. And, personally, I'd like to know why I have to deal with some of the situations I've gone through in regards to not only racial discrimination but also sexual discrimination. Sexual harassment in the work place, physical abuse in the home. But as I've begun to widen my perception, I realized how ignorant I've been. It would be foolish of me to assume that only the minorities in America suffer from prejudice. Just as it would be foolish for me to assume that only women in America have suffered from sexual prejudice. My professors are not "maneuvering me against any man" at all whatsoever. I have no hatred or bitterness toward any man simply because he is a man. Just as I don't have any bitterness toward any white person simply because they are white. But if something is constantly happening to you, it's only a matter of time before you try to figure out why. I don't know if you realized this but America has a disgusting and infamous history of inequality, hatred, and discrimination in all forms. Having not only been aware of racial inequality, I'm also learning about gender inequality which I knew nothing about other than women's suffrage. You fail to see the privilege you are guaranteed by living in a white male-dominated society where everything is garnered to you, so you don't have to go looking for information about your history. As a white male, you are constantly reminded about the success of "your people". Feel me? But it's pretty obvious, the favoritism towards men in a patriarchal world. I experienced this as a child whilst in Brazil and America and I still see it continued in other communities and cultures around the world. Other than learning about my history, I just have a natural wanting to help those who are suffering from oppression and have no voice because they are classified as inferior. And I don't mean in just America. I do plan on becoming an activist and hopefully influential in the abolition of human-trafficking in Third World countries. And I can't jump into this without knowing about the history and where it all stems from. Why women are viewed a certain way that leads to how they are treated. In all honesty, it makes much sense.I'm not being "brain-washed" lol. There have been many times where I've disagreed with the professor and students in regards to a certain reading. I know where my beliefs and faith stand and I don't think I can be dislodged from them so easily. Yes, I can open mind as to why they think a certain way, but at the same time I know why I personally don't agree. You can have an open mind without agreeing with someone. Closing your mind just leaves you ignorant to everything else going on. But thanks for looking out for me, I appreciate it.Despite the immense amounts of work and constant disagreements, I'm actually very grateful for taking both classes so that I didn't remain ignorant to why things are the way they are.

Originally Posted By: JapanFan14I'm not being "brain-washed" lol. Well if you knew about it, it wouldn't be brain-washing, would it? Just be careful as it's sometimes what is not said as much as what is said. For example, becuase men generally feel embarassment about reporting such things, it's not well known to the general public that physical assault/abuse in relationships of women on men is higher than that of men on women. These stats come from anonymous polls rather than actual reported cases. Ask your professor why he/she didn't shed light on that little fact the next time you're in class. And, while you're at it, find out if your professor is a member of NOW Perhaps find out the percentage of the faculty at your school are members...I think you'll be surprised.But before that, perhaps check out for yourself what feminists of today truly believe. (Hint: It's not likely what you've been told, or will ever be told, in class.)

Yes, that's the answer I expected. Don't read anything else, just what you want....And likewise, that means you wouldn't know if you were being brainwashed, yes?I'm rather proud of Abi for what she's doing. I'm sure you would never try something like that, but then again, like she said, there's no history of oppression of white [Christian, cough] males, in oh, what, the history of the world?And I would like to see these "stats" you so vehemently, rather, smugly, claim are true.

Originally Posted By: thor Originally Posted By: JapanFan14I'm not being "brain-washed" lol. Well if you knew about it, it wouldn't be brain-washing, would it? Make me wonder if that why you hold the opinions you do. And you wouldn't even know you've been brain-washed.OMG what if you've been altered and all you know to do is spout the "truths" that have been forced into your head.... que the dramatic music.>>>"Well if you knew about it, it wouldn't be brain-washing, would it?"That was a damn condescending response to question you asked someone to answer. Beyond that, it's dismissive of the injustices and abuses minorities the world over have suffered.

Quote: Well if you knew about it, it wouldn't be brain-washing, would it? So anyone learning something new is being brainwashed!??!?!?!?!?Thats so funny lmao!!So you think abi is going to school to be brainwashed as opposed to being filled with knowledge??

Originally Posted By: StephieJ  Quote: Well if you knew about it, it wouldn't be brain-washing, would it? So anyone learning something new is being brainwashed!??!?!?!?!?Thats so funny lmao!!So you think abi is going to school to be brainwashed as opposed to being filled with knowledge?? I told you what's happening...she already told us her intent.College used to be about opeing up our minds to the possibilities and different ways of thinking. Ways of thinking/how to think. Apparently, it's opened the door for those who teach at college that seem to think they have the right to fill young minds with their own ideas about what to think. But to be honest, you and Abi are both too young to know any different. I, on the other hand, was in college 20+ years ago. I know the difference between then and now.Knowledge comes from knowing the whole story...not from knowing only the portion of it some trusted person shows you/allows you to see. That's brain-washing.

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not from knowing only the portion of it some trusted person shows you/allows you to see. That's brain-washing.

She isnt being forced to learn this.. she chose to take that class..

brainwashing is being forced

Quote:But to be honest, you and Abi are both too young to know any different. I, on the other hand, was in college 20+ years ago. I know the difference between then and now.LOL! You young whippersnappers don't know what it used to be like. In our day we got up at 3.30 am to walk 50 miles to college - yes, while carrying a cow . . .I think I was in college rather before you, thor.